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American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee will make her acting debut in an untitled Anna Faris project for Columbia Pictures and Happy Madison. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McPhee, along with Emma Stone, Rumer Willis, Kat Dennings and comedian Dana Goodman, have signed on to co-star the comedy - directed by Fred Wolf.

The script has been written by Legally Blonde screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith and centers on a Playboy bunny (Anna Faris) who gets kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and becomes the house mother to the lamest sorority on campus.

McPhee will play a pregnant hippy, Stone will be president of the sorority and Willis will play an insecure young woman.

The filming is scheduled to begin later this month in los Angeles.

Seven cities have been chosen this year to hold auditions for the seventh season of American Idol. The auditions for this year's competition begin in San Diego, CA, on Monday, July 30, at Qualcomm Stadium and will end in Philadelphia, PA, on Monday, August 27, at Wachovia Center.

Once again, talented singers will have the opportunity to perform before millions of TV viewers with the chance of becoming America's next Idol and get a major recording contract.

Auditions will take place in the following cities:

• San Diego, CA - Monday, July 30, Qualcomm Stadium
• Dallas, TX - Monday, August 6, Texas Stadium
• Omaha, NE - Friday, August 10, Qwest Center
• Atlanta, GA - Tuesday, August 14, TBA
• Charleston, SC - Saturday, August 18, North Charleston Coliseum
• Miami, FL - Wednesday, August 22, AmericanAirlines Arena
• Philadelphia, PA - Monday, August 27, Wachovia Center

American Idol Season 7 premieres in January 2008 on Fox. American Idol is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller.

Dannii Minogue may seem to be a beautiful and kind sister to famous Kylie Minogue. But according to Brian Friedman, who is new judge alongside Dannii for the fourth season of the show X Factor, she can be compared to mean American Idol judge Simon Cowell.

Friedman says that Dannii reacted in fury when she was compared to her sister Kylie by one of the hopeful contestants - and even left some of them in tears with her mean comments.

Friedman explains:

"One girl came in for auditions and said 'I used to love Kylie'. Dannii didn't like being compared to sis Kylie and voted her out on the spot. She has left several contestants in tears - she's the meanest judge."

Well, to be honest I personally can't wait to see the new season of the show. I actually enjoy watching Simon Cowell make a crowd go 'buuuuh'!

I saw it. I knew the outcome - at least I had my fingers crossed and hoped it would happen. It did happen. 29.5 million viewers saw teenager Jordin Sparks win in this season's American Idol final last night. She grew up on American Idol and has watched the show since she was 12 years old. Every time she told her mom how much she wanted to participate in the talent show. "Now I'm actually doing it," the 17-year-old told the press backstage after winning the singing competition.

Her competitor was Blake Lewis, 25, who is a good beat-boxer - but not a very good singer. Sparks deserved to win with her fantastic vocal.

Blake Lewis said backstage that he didn't mind coming in second. "I was actually going to try to wear a 'Vote for Jordin Sparks' T-shirt last night but they wouldn't let me do it," he said. Well, a very smart move but then there wouldn't be any competition, right?

I'll be looking forward to the upcoming record from miss Jordin Sparks.

The next American Idol will be either Jordin Sparks or Blake Lewis, as 29-year-old Melinda Doolittle's shy sweetness didn't make it to the finale last night. The great singer was booted out of the competition, though she was judge Simon Cowell's favourite throughout the whole season.

I'm not usually like that in my manner of expression, but what were people thinking when they didn't vote for Melinda Doolittle? She is a solid and technically fantastic singer compared to beatboxing Blake Lewis. It looks like American Idol is more about popularity than talent. Style has won out over substance once again!